Every Republican president since Ronald Reagan has instituted a so-called "Mexico City" policy to prevent foreign humanitarian aid groups or other foreign organizations that receive any amount of U.S. assistance from performing abortions or providing abortion counseling in foreign countries (Mexico City was the first area targeted by the policy). During Senate consideration of a bill to reauthorize $27 billion for State Department operations and foreign assistance programs, Senator Boxer (D-CA) offered an amendment which would have eliminated the "Mexico City" policy from the bill. With the passage of Boxer's amendment, international aid groups that receive U.S. money would be allowed to conduct abortions overseas if necessary. Progressives supported Boxer's amendment as a way to protect abortion rights and insure the performance of safe abortions in foreign countries. Senator Lugar (R-IN) motioned to table (kill) the Boxer amendment but, with the help of nine Republicans and forty-three Democrats, the motion was defeated 43-53 and Boxer's amendment to overturn the "Mexico City" policy was subsequently adopted.